Bert loses part of leg

TV star’s ‘life and death’ decision

TELEVISION legend Bert Newton made a choice to live and to be there for his family when he had his right leg amputated below the knee on Saturday, his wife Patti has revealed.

The Australian entertainment icon was faced with a life or death decision after an infection – stemming initially from a small cut on one of his toes sustained four months ago – ravaged his lower limb.

Patti said his doctors starkly set out the grim situation – keep the leg and you might have months to live. Amputate and you could have years ahead of you.

“He had a choice and his choice was to live,” Patti said.

Newton, 82, underwent surgery on Saturday and is recovering in Melbourne’s Epworth Hospital where he has been for the past six weeks.

“It is going to be a long journey, but we are all very positive. Bert is in really good spirits and he is strong,” Patti said.

“I came in on Saturday at 6.30am and I saw him before he was operated on. I have never seen anybody in more pain.

“I just felt he could not go through pain like he was going through for much longer. He went into surgery at 7.50am and then next time I heard anything was 3pm. It was a long day and a long wait.

“The operation did not take that long, but it was about waiting for him to come out of recovery.”

Patti revealed Newton has undergone three smaller procedures in recent weeks to try and heal the damage from the infection, which did not work, leading to the decision to amputate.

“This is not a nice thing to happen but it is not a death sentence,” she said.

“Because he has so much to live for he will do his utmost to make this work.

“Where there is a will, there is a way and that is him. He is strong.”

Newton’s six grandchildren visited him on Sunday night, showering him with love.

“He is lucky, he has got family all around him. The grandkids mean the world to him,” Patti said.

“We have been together for over 50 years and you just want to get as much out of it (life) as you can in the latter years. You don’t want anything to happen to either of you.”

Patti has had her own injury woes.

She is sporting a moon boot and getting around on a mobility scooter after breaking her ankle in two places after tumbling on a step a fortnight ago.